Painting backgrouds

[jeanette1976]

I'm in my first exhibition next week and I've done a series of nudes in oils.... problem is, they look so goo on their own that I'm frightened to paint a background in case i spoil it... and as you know, oils take ages to dry and I've got to hang my work this Sun.

I've decided to simply choose a single background colour, but worried about choosing the wrong colour... if i do cream, it'll be too bland, should i make it fade in one corneretc... any suggestions, I'm sooo indecisive but running out of time!!!

Thanks!

[BillStickers]

Hmm, off the top of my head I can think of one painter who painted in plain backgrounds - Francis Bacon. He blocked in the backgrounds with a neutral colour, so my advice is choose neutral!
Don't do the fading in bit, but possibly try two colours to suggest floor/walls.
Hope that helps a bit...